Crap brakes
- Thread starter ChrisV
- Start date
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goody
Veteran
- Location
- Carshalton
I've just fitted those to my bike. Originally it came with cheapo promax cable jobs which were rubbish. Heard good things about TRP Spyre's and also that the HY/RD were better. Didn't want to spend £100ish on the Spyre's and then wish I gone for the HY/RD's so went straight for them.
First impressions were that I'd wasted £190 the front was OKish but the rear had no power at all, stuck with it for bit in case it was a bedding in issue ( I have two MTB's with Hydraulic discs and have never had a problem with those). I have now replaced the brake cables with new and replaced the standard pads with sintered ones from disco brakes and bedded them in usuing repeated full firm stops.( http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-how-to-bed-in-disc-brake-pads-31337/ )
Now I have brakes that are as good as a good rim brake in the dry but with instant bite in the wet, my only gripe is a bit of squeal from the front in the wet under gentle braking , it stops if you pull the lever harder.
Mine are operated by campagnolo brake levers, when setting them up for the first time I wanted to have as little lever travel as possible but if you set them up as per the instructions they come quite a way back to the bars. If you use the barrel adjuster to take out some of this travel you might prevent the operating piston in the caliper returning fully over time this might prevent the caliper refilling with fluid from the resevior as the pads wear and you won't have any brakes at all!. (I think it mentions this in the instructions and I think it's why that barrel adjuster hasn't got much range).
So my advice is make sure you have good quality cables with smooth runs (no sharp kinks ec.) Good quality pads and bed them in correctly.
They are a bit of a dissapointment cost me a fair bit to get where I am now and I am wondering whether I woud have been better off either getting a bike with rim brakes or one with the Shimano or SRAM hyrdraulics (probably out of my budget) a friend of mine had the Hope V twin system on his Van Nicholas and was never happy with those (after it was written off he replaced it with a rim brake CX bike). I would say maybe cable and disc brakes don't seem to go together well but some seem happy with the Spyre's.
First impressions were that I'd wasted £190 the front was OKish but the rear had no power at all, stuck with it for bit in case it was a bedding in issue ( I have two MTB's with Hydraulic discs and have never had a problem with those). I have now replaced the brake cables with new and replaced the standard pads with sintered ones from disco brakes and bedded them in usuing repeated full firm stops.( http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-how-to-bed-in-disc-brake-pads-31337/ )
Now I have brakes that are as good as a good rim brake in the dry but with instant bite in the wet, my only gripe is a bit of squeal from the front in the wet under gentle braking , it stops if you pull the lever harder.
Mine are operated by campagnolo brake levers, when setting them up for the first time I wanted to have as little lever travel as possible but if you set them up as per the instructions they come quite a way back to the bars. If you use the barrel adjuster to take out some of this travel you might prevent the operating piston in the caliper returning fully over time this might prevent the caliper refilling with fluid from the resevior as the pads wear and you won't have any brakes at all!. (I think it mentions this in the instructions and I think it's why that barrel adjuster hasn't got much range).
So my advice is make sure you have good quality cables with smooth runs (no sharp kinks ec.) Good quality pads and bed them in correctly.
They are a bit of a dissapointment cost me a fair bit to get where I am now and I am wondering whether I woud have been better off either getting a bike with rim brakes or one with the Shimano or SRAM hyrdraulics (probably out of my budget) a friend of mine had the Hope V twin system on his Van Nicholas and was never happy with those (after it was written off he replaced it with a rim brake CX bike). I would say maybe cable and disc brakes don't seem to go together well but some seem happy with the Spyre's.
goody
Veteran
- Location
- Carshalton
If you take it back to the shop I doubht they'll feel any better until they're bedded in, would a shop do this?
What do you mean? They are 600 miles bedded in.
Custom24
Über Member
- Location
- Oxfordshire
I have the same bike as op riding every day for a year, probably 2,500 miles on it. I think the brakes are good. Not nearly as powerful or controllable as the shimano xt full hydraulics on my mountain bike, but good. I put the difference in power down to the levers and the inherent difficulty braking from the hoods compared to a flat bar, plus the different weight distribution on a drop bar bike, and tyre differences.
My levers move a little more than I would like, but by no means down to the handlebar. That doesn't sound right. I would have a look at the pads, make sure they haven't worn down. I would also try taking a little bit of slack out of the cable, trying first with the barrel adjustment, and then by undoing the hex nut and pulling the cable a bit tighter if the adjuster didn't work.
I can easily skid the rear wheel unless I am careful with the rear. I feel confident with these brakes, even compared to my mtb.
Possible contamination- you can clean up the rotor with some rotor degreaser or IPA and paper towel.. It's worth doing that semi-regularly anyway. I think I have seen some people saying pads can also be rescued, but I can't remember how. Traditional advice is to get new ones if pads are contaminated. Do you protect the rotor when using gt85 or similar on the cassette?
I would start with brake lever travel.
My levers move a little more than I would like, but by no means down to the handlebar. That doesn't sound right. I would have a look at the pads, make sure they haven't worn down. I would also try taking a little bit of slack out of the cable, trying first with the barrel adjustment, and then by undoing the hex nut and pulling the cable a bit tighter if the adjuster didn't work.
I can easily skid the rear wheel unless I am careful with the rear. I feel confident with these brakes, even compared to my mtb.
Possible contamination- you can clean up the rotor with some rotor degreaser or IPA and paper towel.. It's worth doing that semi-regularly anyway. I think I have seen some people saying pads can also be rescued, but I can't remember how. Traditional advice is to get new ones if pads are contaminated. Do you protect the rotor when using gt85 or similar on the cassette?
I would start with brake lever travel.
goody
Veteran
- Location
- Carshalton
Just because they've been used for 600 miles doesn't mean they are bedded in they could be contaminated or glazed or just rubbish pads. Start off with either new pads or give everything a proper clean then follow the instructions in the link above, the articles below might be of interest to you.
http://road.cc/content/review/85499-trp-hyrd-mechanical-interface-hydraulic-disc-brakes
http://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/2193/why-how-should-i-bed-in-disc-brake-pads
http://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=130224
Last edited:
AndyWilliams
Über Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
My Specialized disc brakes are crap, always have been. Swapped the pads for soft compound but no different. The original ones squealed when hot.
My V brakes on my Trek are spot on. Good old standard V brakes.
Yet to speak to someone in person who likes their disc brakes.
My V brakes on my Trek are spot on. Good old standard V brakes.
Yet to speak to someone in person who likes their disc brakes.
goody
Veteran
- Location
- Carshalton
If you're still not happy after you have decent cables, pads and all set up and bedded in correctly then you could ask the shop about fitting bigger disc's.
Tojo
Über Member
- Location
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne
I must admit I think the total design of these brakes are a total cock up cable actuated hydraulic brakes with the reservoir on the calliper.. beyond me , except for money saving as in being able to use cable Ultegra levers, if there was any advantage other than that I think I would have seen it on sports/racing motorcycles, but in 33yars of working with them I have never came across it one question crosses my mind....why, surely hydraulic or cable not a combination of both, it seems a step backwards, especially when we are trying to save weight, adding a cable and sticking a big lump of a reservoir on the calliper just seems wrong.....But if anyone out there can explain the theory behind it, Please enlighten me.....
mr messy
Veteran
- Location
- Sunny? Glasgow, the friendly city...
Are the pads not self adjusting?
Surely pad wear wouldn't make any difference to lever travel?
Air in hydraulics?
Surely pad wear wouldn't make any difference to lever travel?
Air in hydraulics?
mr messy
Veteran
- Location
- Sunny? Glasgow, the friendly city...
Presumably can convert to disc setup without changing levers. Simpler universal design for any lever. Also does away with long runs of hose. Caliper effectively becomes a sealed system. If not any of them i give in...I must admit I think the total design of these brakes are a total cock up cable actuated hydraulic brakes with the reservoir on the calliper.. beyond me , except for money saving as in being able to use cable Ultegra levers, if there was any advantage other than that I think I would have seen it on sports/racing motorcycles, but in 33yars of working with them I have never came across it one question crosses my mind....why, surely hydraulic or cable not a combination of both, it seems a step backwards, especially when we are trying to save weight, adding a cable and sticking a big lump of a reservoir on the calliper just seems wrong.....But if anyone out there can explain the theory behind it, Please enlighten me.....
Custom24
Über Member
- Location
- Oxfordshire
Yes, now that you mention it, that seems a very likely cause.
